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|By Marketwired .
|May 20, 2014 12:00 PM EDT
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/20/14 -- iSIGN Media Solutions Inc. ("iSIGN" or "Company") (OTCQX: ISDSF)(TSX VENTURE: ISD), a leading provider of interactive mobile advertising solutions that serves advertisers, manufacturers, retailers and advertising agencies throughout North America, today announced that it has received patent approval from the United States Patent and Trademark Office in respect of its Application No. 11/986,650, Art Unit 3693.
iSIGN's application for a patent on its "method and system for out-of-home proximity marketing and for delivering awareness information" was initially filed November 27, 2007 and published on April 17, 2008. The patent covers iSIGN's invention which "teaches geographically dispersed computer units programmed to receive and transmit information using OBEX or similar protocols fed by a central source which is accepted or rejected on a per-message basis" and as well specifically references "Bluetooth and other wireless transceivers capable of collecting, storing and transmitting wireless ID data from users"; to "store wireless information concerning wireless ID data from the users of the wireless devices, store information provided by sponsors to be displayed on the plurality of said digital displaying units"; to "collect and filter information ...from digital sources" and much more.
"This patent approval is an important milestone for the Company, as it protects our intellectual property and inventions, which have received wide interest from industry peers and giants in the past year and beyond. It also provides a strong basis for the Company's current and future pending patent applications in the Far East and elsewhere," stated iSIGN's Chief Executive Officer, Alex Romanov. "The patent approval positions iSIGN uniquely and exclusively at the top of the mobile messaging and data collection technologies space."
"iSIGN first started operations as a company broadcasting messages to mobile devices that captured consumer responses to the messaging," stated Mr. Romanov. "Over the years, iSIGN has expanded application of its unique patented technology to further develop and refine its data collection, filtering, data integration, targeting and related back-end reporting systems allowing for additional pieces of information to be gathered in order to be able to selectively transmit relevant messaging to the users of the devices. During this time we began to realize that we were becoming much more than a simple mobile broadcaster, as we recognized that the data we were gathering was pertinent to advertisers, retailers and others."
To learn more about iSIGN and its products please visit www.isignmedia.com
About iSIGN Media
Since 2007, iSIGN has been developing multiplatform advertising and marketing solutions for brands to better attract, engage and retain customers through their mobile devices. The data and SaaS (software as a service) company collects and analyzes shopper preferences so that brands can deliver targeted messaging and personalized offers to consumers' mobile devices, in-location and in real-time. The company's interactive proximity-marketing technology is capable of gathering average price points, typical purchases, in-store dwell times and other shopper metrics to deliver business intelligence and insights into emerging consumer behaviors that can help brands make better business decisions and measure their marketing efforts. Utilizing Bluetooth, mobile, Wi-Fi, and location-aware technologies to deliver relevant and timely messaging to any screen or mobile device, iSIGN delivers rich media, permission-based messages free to consumers that can drive immediate brand engagement, increased customer loyalty and deliver higher ROI on marketing dollars spent. Headquartered in Richmond Hill, Ontario, with R&D and customer support operations in Vancouver, BC and Tampa, FL, the Company has also grown to become the largest owner/operator of in-store digital media in Canada with 5,600 digital signs in about 1,400 locations. Partners include: IBM, Keyser Retail Solutions, Baylor University, Verizon Wireless, TELUS and AOpen America Inc., with solution distribution by GraphicMedia, Inc. and BlueStar Inc. www.isignmedia.com
This news release may include certain forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations, which involve risks and uncertainties associated with iSIGN Media's business and the environment in which the business operates. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking, including those identified by the expressions "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Company or its management. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts, but reflect iSIGN Media's current expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. iSIGN Media assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements.
© 2014 iSIGN Media Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor Its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility or accuracy of this release.
SYS-CON Events announced today that Super Micro Computer, Inc., a global leader in Embedded and IoT solutions, will exhibit at SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY.
Supermicro (NASDAQ: SMCI), the leading innovator in high-performance, high-efficiency server technology, is a premier provider of advanced server Building Block Solutions® for Data Center, Cloud Computing, Enterprise IT, Hadoop/Big Data, HPC and ...
May. 31, 2016 09:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,013
18th Cloud Expo, taking place June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY, will feature technical sessions from a rock star conference faculty and the leading industry players in the world.
Cloud computing is now being embraced by a majority of enterprises of all sizes. Yesterday's debate about public vs. private has transformed into the reality of hybrid cloud: a recent survey shows that 74% of enterprises have a hybrid cloud strategy. Meanwhile, 94% of enterprises are using some...
May. 31, 2016 09:00 PM EDT Reads: 3,334
Cloud computing delivers on-demand resources that provide businesses with flexibility and cost-savings. The challenge in moving workloads to the cloud has been the cost and complexity of ensuring the initial and ongoing security and regulatory (PCI, HIPAA, FFIEC) compliance across private and public clouds. Manual security compliance is slow, prone to human error, and represents over 50% of the cost of managing cloud applications. Determining how to automate cloud security compliance is critical...
May. 31, 2016 09:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,077
SYS-CON Events announced today that MangoApps will exhibit at SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY.
MangoApps provides modern company intranets and team collaboration software, allowing workers to stay connected and productive from anywhere in the world and from any device.
For more information, please visit https://www.mangoapps.com/.
May. 31, 2016 08:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,246
SYS-CON Events announced today that EastBanc Technologies will exhibit at SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY.
EastBanc Technologies has been working at the frontier of technology since 1999. Today, the firm provides full-lifecycle software development delivering flexible technology solutions that seamlessly integrate with existing systems – whether on premise or cloud. EastBanc Technologies partners with p...
May. 31, 2016 08:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,508
SYS-CON Events announced today that IBM Cloud Data Services has been named “Bronze Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 18th Cloud Expo, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY.
IBM Cloud Data Services offers a portfolio of integrated, best-of-breed cloud data services for developers focused on mobile computing and analytics use cases.
May. 31, 2016 07:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,805
The Internet of Things (IoT) is growing rapidly by extending current technologies, products and networks. By 2020, Cisco estimates there will be 50 billion connected devices. Gartner has forecast revenues of over $300 billion, just to IoT suppliers. Now is the time to figure out how you’ll make money – not just create innovative products.
With hundreds of new products and companies jumping into the IoT fray every month, there’s no shortage of innovation. Despite this, McKinsey/VisionMobile data...
May. 31, 2016 07:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,908
"What we see what happens when you have a completely networked society and the potential to now drive the value creation and the collaboration and the ecosystems that are possible when you start to be able to connect people and industries together in ways that have never been possible before," explained Esmeralda Swartz, VP of Marketing Enterprise & Cloud at Ericsson, in this SYS-CON.tv interview at @ThingsExpo, held November 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA.
May. 31, 2016 04:45 PM EDT Reads: 1,909
WebRTC is bringing significant change to the communications landscape that will bridge the worlds of web and telephony, making the Internet the new standard for communications. Cloud9 took the road less traveled and used WebRTC to create a downloadable enterprise-grade communications platform that is changing the communication dynamic in the financial sector.
In his session at @ThingsExpo, Leo Papadopoulos, CTO of Cloud9, will discuss the importance of WebRTC and how it enables companies to fo...
May. 31, 2016 04:45 PM EDT Reads: 2,665
SYS-CON Events announced today that ContentMX, the marketing technology and services company with a singular mission to increase engagement and drive more conversations for enterprise, channel and SMB technology marketers, has been named “Sponsor & Exhibitor Lounge Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 18th Cloud Expo, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, New York.
“CloudExpo is a great opportunity to start a conversation with new prospects, but what happens after the...
May. 31, 2016 02:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,508
The IoT is changing the way enterprises conduct business.
In his session at @ThingsExpo, Eric Hoffman, Vice President at EastBanc Technologies, discuss how businesses can gain an edge over competitors by empowering consumers to take control through IoT. We'll cite examples such as a Washington, D.C.-based sports club that leveraged IoT and the cloud to develop a comprehensive booking system. He'll also highlight how IoT can revitalize and restore outdated business models, making them profitable...
May. 31, 2016 02:00 PM EDT Reads: 3,155
Customer experience has become a competitive differentiator for companies, and it’s imperative that brands seamlessly connect the customer journey across all platforms. With the continued explosion of IoT, join us for a look at how to build a winning digital foundation in the connected era – today and in the future.
In his session at @ThingsExpo, Chris Nguyen, Group Product Marketing Manager at Adobe, will discuss how to successfully leverage mobile, rapidly deploy content, capture real-time d...
May. 31, 2016 01:45 PM EDT Reads: 1,810
What a difference a year makes. Organizations aren’t just talking about IoT possibilities, it is now baked into their core business strategy. With IoT, billions of devices generating data from different companies on different networks around the globe need to interact. From efficiency to better customer insights to completely new business models, IoT will turn traditional business models upside down. In the new customer-centric age, the key to success is delivering critical services and apps wit...
May. 31, 2016 12:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,430
As cloud and storage projections continue to rise, the number of organizations moving to the cloud is escalating and it is clear cloud storage is here to stay. However, is it secure?
Data is the lifeblood for government entities, countries, cloud service providers and enterprises alike and losing or exposing that data can have disastrous results.
There are new concepts for data storage on the horizon that will deliver secure solutions for storing and moving sensitive data around the world.
May. 31, 2016 12:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,518
Join us at Cloud Expo | @ThingsExpo 2016 – June 7-9 at the Javits Center in New York City and November 1-3 at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA – and deliver your unique message in a way that is striking and unforgettable by taking advantage of SYS-CON's unmatched high-impact, result-driven event / media packages.
May. 31, 2016 12:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,641
In his keynote at 18th Cloud Expo, Andrew Keys, Co-Founder of ConsenSys Enterprise, will provide an overview of the evolution of the Internet and the Database and the future of their combination – the Blockchain.
Andrew Keys is Co-Founder of ConsenSys Enterprise. He comes to ConsenSys Enterprise with capital markets, technology and entrepreneurial experience. Previously, he worked for UBS investment bank in equities analysis. Later, he was responsible for the creation and distribution of life ...
May. 31, 2016 11:45 AM EDT Reads: 2,144
SYS-CON Events announced today that MobiDev will exhibit at SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY.
MobiDev is a software company that develops and delivers turn-key mobile apps, websites, web services, and complex software systems for startups and enterprises. Since 2009 it has grown from a small group of passionate engineers and business managers to a full-scale mobile software company with over 200 develope...
May. 31, 2016 10:15 AM EDT Reads: 2,950
SoftLayer operates a global cloud infrastructure platform built for Internet scale. With a global footprint of data centers and network points of presence, SoftLayer provides infrastructure as a service to leading-edge customers ranging from Web startups to global enterprises. SoftLayer's modular architecture, full-featured API, and sophisticated automation provide unparalleled performance and control. Its flexible unified platform seamlessly spans physical and virtual devices linked via a world...
May. 31, 2016 09:00 AM EDT Reads: 2,462
SYS-CON Events announced today that BMC Software has been named "Siver Sponsor" of SYS-CON's 18th Cloud Expo, which will take place on June 7-9, 2015 at the Javits Center in New York, New York. BMC is a global leader in innovative software solutions that help businesses transform into digital enterprises for the ultimate competitive advantage. BMC Digital Enterprise Management is a set of innovative IT solutions designed to make digital business fast, seamless, and optimized from mainframe to mo...
May. 31, 2016 08:45 AM EDT Reads: 2,435
Companies can harness IoT and predictive analytics to sustain business continuity; predict and manage site performance during emergencies; minimize expensive reactive maintenance; and forecast equipment and maintenance budgets and expenditures.
Providing cost-effective, uninterrupted service is challenging, particularly for organizations with geographically dispersed operations.
May. 31, 2016 08:00 AM EDT Reads: 2,375


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Artistar Jewels has come to be renowned as one of the most important events in Europe about Contemporary Jewellery, where 140 artists from all over the world have been carefully selected, and their works showcased in Palazzo Bovara in Milan during the Milano Fashion Week 2019, February 19-24.
We've had the chance to meet amazing artists, and see very innovative pieces of work: new materials and concepts, and traditional medias expressing new ideas.
We participated with 4 works:
Apart from the jury and prizes, a network of contemporary jewellery galleries selected artists for upcoming exhibitions and we've got some pretty exciting news coming up, but we won't reveal anything yet ;)
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South Africa’s oldest fashion week celebrated 21 years in fashion with its A/W2019 collections at Sandton City as well as some off site locations for select designers. South African Fashion Week has helped launch the careers of many big fashion designers who got their big breaks through SA Fashion Week’s New Talent Search. To mark … More South African Fashion Week Celebrates 21 Years In Fashion.
Formerly known as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg, AFI Joburg Fashion Week took place from the 4th to 7th October in Melrose Arch and other historical sites around Johannesburg. The theme for this season was #AfroAsia in hopes of strengthening collaborations and relations between AFI and Tokyo Fashion Week which resulted in some Asian fashion brands … More Africa Fashion International’s Joburg Fashion Week Hits Melrose Arch
Accra Fashion Week presented it’s 3rd installment of an amazing fashion week featuring a number a great fashion designers from all over the world. Even though Accra Fashion Week has been operating for 3 seasons, they have managed to become one of the biggest fashion weeks in Ghana. Feast on some of my favourite looks … More Best Looks From Accra Fashion Week
Since Fashion designer Mzukisi Mbane came into the industry he has been impressing fashion lovers with each one of his collections. His brand name IMPRINT which is embedded in leaving a mark has grown tremendously since its inception several years ago and it has kept true to its ethos “Leave a mark”. Imprint ZA is … More Fashion Designer Mzukisi Mbane Is Leaving A Mark In Fashion With Every Collection
Remembering where it all started for Orapeleng Modutle, I could not be anymore prouder of him as I was watching his show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg at Mall of Africa. My favourite thing about Orapeleng is that he is diverse, he caters for the brides, for the working woman, for the everyday woman who … More #MBFWJ17: Orapeleng Modutle Style Avenue
The Best of African Fashion on the runway … More #MBFWJ17 Day 1 Favourites
Brenda Quin showcased for the first time at Durban Fashion Fair revealing a collection called ‘The Rhythm of Africa” which featured lots of colours while embracing the African Queen trend in headwraps and beads. Brenda travels through Africa a lot and that is where she drew her inspiration showcasing the vibrancy of Africa and the … More Diva Designs By Brenda Quin Shown At Durban Fashion Fair


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Toyota names coupe GT 86
* Will be launched at Tokyo motor show * Car on sale next June * Prices expected to start from 25,000...
Toyota has named its new coupe the GT 86. The car will be launched at the Tokyo motor show this week ahead of going on sale next summer.
The Toyota GT 86 has a 2+2 seat layout. It is powered by a 197bhp 2.0-litre, four-cylinder boxer engine. The rear-wheel-drive car will come with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed auto.
The car, first revealed as the FT 86 concept car at the Tokyo motor show two years ago, has been co-developed with Subaru, who has already called its version the BRZ.
Full technical details of the Toyota GT 86 (pronounced eight-six, not eighty-six) will be revealed at the Tokyo motor show on Wednesday. Prices have yet to be revealed, but the GT 86 is expected to cost from around 25,000.
Exclusive preview of GT 86
How would you like to be one of the first people in the UK to see the Toyota GT 86 in the metal? Click here to find out more about our exclusive preview.
Best plug-in hybrid cars 2021
Plug-in hybrids can reduce fuel consumption to an absolute minimum, but which models are the best all-rounders and which should you avoid?
Skoda Enyaq long-term test review
Is it possible to live with an electric car even if you can't charge it at home? We're finding out with the help of the Skoda Enyaq electric SUV


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Japanese manufacturer Honda has unveiled its off-roading motorcycles for the 2013 model year, giving dirt bike fans a sneak peek on all the bikes that will be available in the late summer and early fall.
Yoshimura Suzuki Racing has signed Supercross and Motocross Champion James Stewart to a multi-year contract effective immediately. Stewart will compete in both AMA Pro Motocross and Supercross aboard the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 beginning with the first round of the 2012 AMA Pro Motocross Championship in Sacramento, California on May 19th. Stewart, often called the “fastest […]
Ryan Villopoto Continues Dominance With New Orleans Victory Ryan Villopoto has already clinched the 2012 AMA Supercross series, but that didn’t seem to change his riding style much at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. One week after officially capturing the title, Villopoto turned in perhaps his most dominant performance to date, easily picking up […]


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Though e-commerce growth rates appear to be cooling some after accelerating to stunning levels in Q2, they still appear to be pretty high.
Just about every online retailer, marketplace owner, online payments firm and e-commerce software that has posted a Q2 report over the last few weeks has disclosed that its top-line growth sharply accelerated in Q2 relative to Q1. Among the highlights:
- Amazon.com's (AMZN) annual revenue growth rose to 40% in Q2 from 26% in Q1, with North American segment growth rising to 43% from 29% and International segment growth rising to 38% from 18%.
- PayPal's (PYPL) revenue growth rose to 22% from 12%, with total payment volume (TPV) growth rising to 29% from 18%.
- Shopify's (SHOP) revenue growth rose to 97% from Q1's 47%, with gross merchandise volume (GMV) growth rising to 119% from 46%.
- MercadoLibre's (MELI) revenue growth came in at 123.4% on a constant currency (CC) basis and 61.1% on a dollar basis. This respectively compares with Q1 growth rates of 70.5% and 37.6%.
- Etsy's (ETSY) revenue growth rose to 137% from 35%, with GMV growth rising to 146% from 32%. Excluding mask sales, GMV growth was 93%.
- eBay (EBAY) -- a company whose Marketplace business had posted single-digit or negative growth rates for a number of quarters -- saw revenue growth rise to 18% from negative 2%, with GMV growth rising to 26% from negative 1%.
Various bricks-and-mortar retailers also reported soaring e-commerce sales. As did more specialized online retailers such as Wayfair (W) and Overstock (OSTK) , each of which are benefiting from soaring online furniture sales.
Goldman Sachs, for its part, estimated that e-commerce accounted for over 40% of U.S. retail sales in May, up from just 16% in Q1.
It's clearly unrealistic to expect e-commerce's share of retail sales to remain at those levels forever. But for the time being, its share still appears to be well above what it was at the start of the year -- and admittedly, also higher than where I once expected it to be at this point in time.
PayPal guided for roughly 30% Q3 TPV growth and 23% revenue growth. And Amazon, which has been guiding conservatively over the last several quarters, guided for 24% to 33% Q3 growth. Also, both companies stressed on their earnings calls that they're still seeing transaction activity on their platforms that's well above pre-COVID levels, with Amazon also disclosing plans to grow its fulfillment network square footage by about 50% this year as it tries to keep up with demand.
Etsy, meanwhile, guided for 80% to 110% Q3 GMV growth. And Wayfair, which posted 84% Q2 revenue growth, said on its Aug. 5 earnings call that its Q3 revenue was up about 70% up to that date, albeit while noting that it was now seeing more daily and weekly sales volatility.
EBay did note that it has seen growth moderate in European countries where consumer mobility has rebounded strongly, and Amazon suggested it has seen some moderation in the U.K.. And though they did generally indicate that growth remains strong, companies such as Shopify, MercadoLibre and Overstock declined to provide either Q3 guidance or any update on what kind of growth rates they've seen so far in the quarter.
Going forward, e-commerce growth rates could see some downward pressure from more consumer spending returning to both physical retail stores and activities such as dining and travel. And given that unemployment insurance benefits have boosted spending among lower-income consumers, a potential reduction in those benefits could also be a headwind.
At the same time, the fact that COVID-related fears are still having a major impact on how much consumers in the U.S. and many foreign markets frequent restaurants, bars, retail stores and hotels even when they're free to do so remains a major tailwind.
And as many others have pointed out -- and as companies such as PayPal have stressed -- it's also hard to ignore how much COVID-19 has helped accelerate long-term trends related to e-commerce and online payments adoption. Though some of the dollars will flow back to other spending areas, a healthy portion of the additional e-commerce activity now taking place could ultimately remain in place independent of COVID fears, simply due to many consumers now having a better appreciation of the convenience of online shopping.


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- Related Games:
- The Last of Us
You won't find many who will argue against the claim that The Last of Us is one of the year's most gorgeous games. Thanks to the incredible talent and drive for visual excellence at Naughty Dog, the landscape of this upcoming third-person story-heavy survival game will have you engrossed right from the get go.
The studio has released a new entry in its development video series titled "Wasteland Beautiful," which takes a look at the setting of The Last of Us and how it came to be the gorgeous overgrown world we see it as today. If you haven't already done so, give it a look above.
The Last of Us is set to launch on June 14th, exclusively for the PlayStation 3.


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Dots — the studio behind, you guessed it, the Dots series of mobile games — has just raised $10 million in order to become a standalone mobile gaming company.
The studio began life as an offshoot of New York-based startup incubator Betaworks, and with the new cash, which comes from several investors including Chinese internet giant Tencent, Dots is going solo in hopes of building on the massive success of its mobile games. "The first Dots game started as me just building a game that I wanted to play," says studio co-founder and COO Patrick Moberg. "[CEO Paul Murphy] and Betaworks nudged me to think bigger." The first Dots launched last year, followed by TwoDots in May, and according to the studio the franchise has reach a combined 45 million players.
"We'll be exploring all sorts of new directions."
The studio hasn't revealed any details about upcoming projects, but says that it will remain a "mobile-first" game developer. To date, its games have been available across both iOS and Android. "We have ambitions to be one of the world's best mobile game studios. It's a big ambition," Moberg tells The Verge, "and Betaworks wants to ensure we have the setup to let that happen."
According to Moberg, the studio has spent the past year expanding its size and learning more about the games industry, which he says puts Dots in a good position to "take big risks" with its new games, which are expected to be announced next year.
"We'll be exploring all sorts of new directions in gameplay and aesthetics," he says.


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If you've been itching to take Android Auto for a spin, but don't own a car that's compatible with Google's software, you'll soon be in luck. The company announced at Google I/O that the in-car setup will soon run entirely on your phone while offering the same features as if it were connected to your dash. This means that you'll still be able to use your voice to handle calls, messages, music and navigation, keeping distractions to a minimum.
Android Auto is getting some other new features too. Chief among them: the ability to activate those handy voice controls by saying "OK Google" rather than having to push a button on the console first. Waze maps integration is also coming soon for folks who would rather use that instead of Google's own navigation app. The software will also beam the in-car interface to mobile devices in the same vehicle, so long as your ride is WiFi equipped.
You'll be seeing new apps from automakers as well. Google has opened up Android Auto to allow the manufacturers to make their own software for car-related tasks, with the first two coming from Honda and Hyundai. Those apps will allow you to access select features without leaving the Android Auto interface. We're talking things like roadside assistance, monthly service reports and sending notifications to your phone if a valet takes your car outside a predefined area. Hyundai was actually the first to adopt Google's automotive software last year, making it available in the 2015 Sonata sedan.
For all the latest news and updates from Google I/O 2016, follow along here.


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Successful marketing is about continual evolution and flexibility in the face of constantly changing consumer preferences.
JCPenney is getting a new logo and is completely revamping its pricing, branding, promotions, as well as refreshing its stores, the retailer's new CEO Ron Johnson announced Jan. 25.
JCPenney Co. reported May 16 that its Internet sales increased 6.6% to $376 million in the first quarter of 2011, compared with Q1 2010. The Plano, Texas-based company's first quarter net sales increased 0.4% year-over-year to $3.94 billion, and net income increased 6.7% to $64 million in the quarter.
Retailer JCPenney's 2010 fiscal year net sales increased 1.2% compared with fiscal 2009, the company said February 25. The company's Internet sales increased 4.4% to $1.5 billion in fiscal 2010, compared with the prior fiscal year.
Company of the week
Data Services, Inc. meets the needs of today's data-driven marketer by providing front-end database management and data analytics platforms alongside our expertise in global contact data quality, database building and ongoing maintenance that comes with our 45+ years in business.


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Want to join the conversation?
$ZTS said for 1H16, it has exceeded $100MM in revenue for APOQUEL and since May, it has been supplying APOQUEL with no restrictions. The company has recently launched in markets such as Brazil, Japan, Mexico and Russia and in the coming months, $ZTS plans to introduce APOQUEL in markets such as Colombia, Peru, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Keep your eyes on $FLXN. This one could ascend rapidly. Great time to buy your favourite bio stocks. Make more $$$
$CRM on the pop today.. big bubble.
Slumping and down the drain... $HDSN. Flush out your holdings !
$KITE I am loving this one... really flying like a kite today :-)


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If you’ve been craving a return to normal, the bad news is that the pandemic has changed the world and its effects will last. If you’re excited about experiencing new opportunities, the good news is that the pandemic has changed the world and its effects will last. Think about the terms “pre-war” and “post war” or “pre-911” and post- 911” commonly used to describe eras in the 20th century. Whatever comes next, it is clear that 2021 will be the year of transition, a time to look forward to shaping futures vs surviving the present.
People who travel for pleasure will want to get back to doing so. Beginning in the third quarter of 2020, airline business appeared to have bounced back. But, it was a different normal. Domestic travel was surging, international travel was still depressed, and business travel was a no-go. By definition, leisure travel is discretionary. Business travel is less so. In 2019, business-travel spending reached $1.4 trillion, more than 20 percent of the total spending in the hospitality and travel sector. Some executives in the field think that it may never recover to the 2019 level.
Disruption creates space for entrepreneurs. In the third quarter of 2020 alone, there were more than 1.5 million new-business applications in the United States—almost double the figure for the same period in 2019. Of course, many are single-person establishments that could stay that way (restaurant chef turned caterer). However, data shows that the volume of applications for businesses likeliest to generate payrolls has risen strongly, 50% more than in 2019. Venture capital activity has remained strong as well. In Europe where the recovery strategy tended to emphasize protecting jobs (not income, as in the United States), the rise of entrepreneurial businesses has been slower.
On the whole, however, the pandemic has been devastating small business. U.S. small-business revenue fell more than 30 percent between January and December 2020. But, the positive trend in entrepreneurship could bode well for job growth and economic activity.
There’s no going back. The great acceleration in the use of technology, digitization, and new forms of working is here to stay. The pandemic created both an imperative for companies to reconfigure their operations and an opportunity to transform them. Many executives reported that they moved 20 to 25 times faster than they thought possible on things like building supply-chain redundancies, improving data security, and increasing the use of advanced technologies in operations. The impact on long-term productivity remains to be seen. But it’s worth noting that as the pandemic forced the transition to working from home, U.S. productivity in the second quarter of 2020 rose 10.6 percent and by another 4.6 percent increase in the third quarter, which is the largest six-month improvement since 1965.
Everything from online customer service to remote working to supply-chain reinvention to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to improve operations moved rapidly to the digital sphere, transforming legacy industries like healthcare, banking and manufacturing. Typically, it has taken a decade or longer for game-changing technologies to evolve from cool new things to productivity drivers.
In 2019, the idea of remote working was in the air but not proceeding very far. The pandemic changed that, with tens of millions of people transitioning to working from home, essentially overnight, in a wide range of industries. For example, telehealth visits were possible, but not common and not recognized for reimbursement by most insurors. Today, some think telehealth could account for 30% of all healthcare visits going forward.
Ahead Full Steam
The near-term challenge, then, is to move from reacting to the crisis to building and institutionalizing what has been done well so far. For consumer industries, particularly retail, that could mean improving digital and omnichannel business models. In the U. S, the first half of 2020 saw an increase in e-commerce equivalent to that of the previous ten years.
The pandemic also revealed vulnerabilities in the long, complicated supply chains of many companies. When a single country or even a single factory went dark, the lack of critical components shut down production. Once businesses began to study how their supply chains worked, three things became clear: 1- Disruptions aren’t unusual. Any given company can expect a shutdown lasting a month or so every 3.7 years. Such shocks, then, are predictable features of doing business that need to be managed like any other.
2- Cost differences among developed and many developing countries are narrowing. Use of robust data and analytics, together with an emphasis on end-to-end optimization over individual transaction costs can offset much of the labor-cost differential between China and the United States, for example. Agencies and companies moved quickly to diversify their networks of suppliers for essentials.
3- Most businesses do not have a good idea of what is going on lower down in their supply chains, where subtiers play small but critical roles, and where most disruptions originate. With data analytics, companies can learn more about, audit, and connect with their entire value chains.
For the office- based workforce, there are are two important challenges. One is to decide the role of the office itself, which is the traditional center for creating culture and a sense of belonging. Companies will have to make decisions on everything from real estate (Do we need this building, office, or floor?) to workplace design (How much space between desks? Are pantries safe?) to training and professional development.
The other challenge is to adapt the workforce to the requirements of automation, digitization, and other technologies. Evidence shows that the benefits of reskilling current staff, rather than letting them go and then finding new people, typically costs less and brings benefits that outweigh the costs.
The pandemic is also showing potential as the launching point for a massive acceleration in the pace of medical innovation, with biology meeting technology in new ways. Not only was the COVID-19 genome sequenced in a matter of weeks, rather than months, but the vaccine rolled out in less than a year—an astonishing accomplishment given that normal vaccine development has often taken a decade. Urgency has created momentum, but the larger story is how a wide and diverse range of capabilities—among them, bioengineering, genetic sequencing, computing, data analytics, automation, machine learning, and AI—have come together. If those lessons are applied to other diseases, they could play a significant role in setting the foundation for the faster development of treatments.


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ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- There is now an opportunity where visitors can snuggle with more than 80 goats at one local farm, which some say can be beneficial for the animals.
"It actually has a lot of therapeutic benefits for the doe when she gets older," said Gail Hobbs Page, the owner of Caromont Farm. "They're much easier to handle. It's a very easy transition into becoming a productive, milking animal."
Page added that snuggling also helps with the animal's general health.
"The less stressed out an animal is, the happier the animal is," she said.
Caromont Farm snuggle sessions will run once a week until May when the weather gets too hot for the animals. However, the chance to snuggle is a competitive opportunity. There are only 150 tickets per session and visitors must register online ahead of time.
"We had tried to get sessions earlier but they were all sold out," said Lynn Moseby, who was initially put on a wait list to attend the session. "So they had sent me an email that they had opened up a new session."
However, Moseby said it was worth the wait and the 90-minute drive she took out to the farm to snuggle with the goats.
"Our kids are going to be really upset because they're in school, but we had a ball," she said. "It was cheaper than therapy."
For more information, please click on the link in the Related Links box.


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Maurizio Marcocci of Service Sphere on how to navigate a year without fear, and why innovation and communication will be key to longevity in a ‘COVID normal’ world.
Throughout the tragedy and stress of 2020, one thing that can’t be denied is how much our community values coffee – as a beverage, craft, and ritual during what was one of the most challenging years our industry has endured.
At Service Sphere, circumstances changed overnight. As the pandemic took hold of our city, many of our food service customers had their work put on hold. Office closures and that of big entertainment complexes, supermarket chains, and cinemas meant our preventative maintenance work was put on pause. Staff that could work from home did and on-road technicians came back into the workshop to help keep up with the growing demand for domestic machine sales and repairs.
We’ve been “pivoting” online for years, but this pandemic was the impetus that forced people to finally make the shift. As a result, we saw an uplift of online purchasing. People were enthusiastic to purchase or upgrade their home coffee grinder, espresso machine, and the gadgets involved to ensure they had the equipment necessary to develop their craft as well as their local barista. This was an indicator that despite hospitality and offices being closed, people still saw coffee as “an essential service”. They were prepared to invest and use the downtime to elevate their skills with new equipment or update their home setup to continue to be part of that ‘illusive coffee culture’.
We also set up the online Bean Bottega coffee portal as a one-stop-shop for customers to access some of the best local and imported coffee roasts with 5 per cent of sales donated towards the My Room Children’s Cancer Charity.
We engaged with customers and those in the supply chain to understand how the pandemic was impacting their businesses and how we could best assist. On a global scale the situation looked harrowing. We had to question our methods, determine how to best engage with our peers and colleagues, and learn how to do the work and get through it.
What was also important was the need to protect the welfare of our staff, which can be so easily taken for granted. Victoria’s first lockdown was treated like a novelty. The second was much more impactful and hard hitting on our demeanour. In some cases, two incomes became one with the unemployed member of the household left without a utility or purpose to get through the lockdown. In other instances, resources were stretched with two people working from home, and many had to manage home schooling with their kids. It was tough, and there was a lot of fear involved in decision making based on one’s concerns for their family’s safety.
Our suppliers shared the same challenges as we did: relying on other manufactures in the supply chain, manufacturing factories closing down with COVID-19 outbreaks, orders starting to slow, shipments staggered, air freight pricing quadrupled, and customers waiting months for stock. We still kept engaged with our suppliers and encouraged training for new machines. We’d normally commit to hosting or travelling to meet our international suppliers, but on this occasion, Zoom had to suffice.
AN ADAPTABLE WORLD
In the early days of COVID-19, it was easy for fear to put doubt in our minds and think: ‘Is this the end to hospitality as we know it? Will food only ever be delivered to our door? Is it the end to social interaction? Will there still be an appetite for hospitality and to eat out like we used to once this is all over?
But as we have seen, time and time again, Australians are a resilient bunch. We are social, and we are still the leading international market when it comes to utilising coffee as an experience. Australia is synonymous with coffee culture – it’s not just about the machines we use. It’s about providing good hospitality and great products presented in the cup or on the plate in a consistent and meaningful way.
Hospitality may not be back to the way we knew it, but it’s clear there is a need for our cafés and the experience it brings. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think coffee fairs very well via UberEats. As such, expect to see more QR codes in use with the government and café owners doing everything they can to keep us safe. We can’t forget the training, level of commitment, and investment in technology business owners have had to endure to make their venues “COVID safe”.
The lockdown has also taught us about the value of tourists. Melbourne in particular is typically a popular tourist hotspot and the nation’s sporting capital, but in fact, we haven’t been an appealing destination since October 2019 when bushfires wreaked havoc on regional towns and blanketed our city in a thick fog. Then COVID-19 arrived in March, cancelling the Motor Grand Prix, and we were convinced 2020 was cursed.
But what we’ve realised, is that we need the support of tourists to fill our hotels, restaurants, and stadiums. We need more people, more mouths to feed, more international students and labour to jump into hospitality jobs. We need to get the fear factor out of the market so that customers can enjoy themselves once again, and one day, we invite those international workers back.
Without them, I really do think we’ll see a greater push for automation in coffee shops. With a great number of baristas lost to restrictions on international visas, business owners are looking at super automatics as a way to produce coffee consistently without the skills of an experienced barista. All of the machines launched at Host Milano 2019 are yet to make their way to the Australian market. For this reason, what excites me about 2021 is the innovation coming our way with a strong push towards automation, fully automated machines, and even vending machines and brewers that unskilled operators can use.
In a case of ‘paint by numbers’, people will turn to super automatic machines and integrating automation into their coffee making process to maintain in-cup quality with less labour and skilled staff. We have seen a trend from our customers who have integrated and automated their tamper process and milk heating/texturing process with technology. Now, these same customers are upgrading to super automatic machines like the Eversys Enigma or Cameo along with considering traditional espresso machines that are “clever”, such as the LaCimbali M100i espresso machine. This model dispenses espresso coffee and heats/textures milk at the touch of a button, coupled with the LaCimbali elective grinder, which tamps the coffee in the portafilter and “talks” to the machine via Bluetooth. It makes micro adjustments from shot to shot.
Throughout lockdown we saw a high volume of super automatic machines ordered and installed. Just the other day, we had a Sydney café owner purchase two super automatic machines as city foot traffic resumes and he saw a need for machines that could deliver the quality of coffee people expect, without the skills of a World Barista Champion.
If you’ve made your way back to a restaurant to enjoy a hospitality experience like I have, you would have noticed the immediate difference compared to having your meal delivered to your door. It’s not as we remember, with time constraints, online check-in and masked servers, but it is where hospitality can shine again around the story telling of their products. You can hear about the story of the farmer, the coffee, its origin, the barista, the machine and manufacturer over a cup of coffee. It’s not just a conversation for coffee, but for all food service.
I think 2021 will be a year of stop starts and uncertainty. I think we’ll see a lot of questions around the COVID-19 vaccine with an attempt to get back to “business as usual”. This virus has created a lot of disruption but when it comes to business strategies, what we’ve learnt is that communication is key. We still need to be consistent with our service levels and marketing to have our voice heard, and we need to be adaptable to the needs of our customers. Whether we’ll see a V-shaped recovery or an enduring one, only time will tell. Currently it still feels like the chess board is tipped over and we need to start the game again.
Pre-COVID, life was all about transactions, and now, we take the time to enjoy the little liberties of life. In testing times people rose to the occasion and supported one another. We won’t forget the year we’ve had, but we will begin 2021 with a renewed strength, and start again without fear, with a good cup of coffee.
Coffee is good alone, but I think coffee shared is even better.
For more information, visit servicesphere.com.au
This article appears in the February 2021 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.


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We’re officially in a bear market. The good news is that the market has two ends to it, meaning that we can profit from stock price appreciation as well as depreciation. Because of this, I have compiled a list of overvalued stocks to sell in this bear market.
I thought long and hard about how I’d structure this article. I will present you all with stocks that are trading above intrinsic value. In addition, I delved into the cyclical stage of the economy to figure out which sectors will likely slump into an extended downward spiral. Lastly, I considered an investment horizon; the yield curve indicates that we could be in for another two years worth of market turmoil. So, consider this article as a 48-month ex-ante analysis.
Here are the four overvalued stocks to sell:
Stocks to Sell: Nvidia (NVDA)
Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) stock is in freefall after capitulating by nearly 50% since the turn of the year. Looking forward, Nvidia is faced with a few challenges. First of all, the company is faced with re-openings and surging inflation, which could dent its PC gaming sales. Also, supply-chain woes continue to be troublesome to semiconductor companies as the time for delivery still sits around 26 weeks.
Lastly, NVDA stock is overvalued as it is trading at 13.45x its sales and 44.35x its cash flow. I’d personally short the stock as it has a long way to drop before it reaches its intrinsic value.
Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) stock’s year-to-date slump of more than 70% doesn’t make it a “buy the dip” opportunity by any means. Its recent subscriber slowdown coupled with the password sharing saga means that there’s significant idiosyncratic risk linked to this stock. Moreover, consumers will likely cut costs on ancillary goods, such as subscriptions, as the economy continues to fade with contractionary monetary policy.
Let’s look at matters from a quantitative vantage point. NFLX stock is overvalued as its stock is trading at 144x its cash flow. Additionally, NFLX stock is faced with a downward momentum spiral as it’s trading below its 10-, 50-, 100-, and 200-day moving averages.
Stocks to Sell: Chevron (CVX)
This might seem like an odd culprit to many, but give me a chance to explain. Firstly, it’s likely that energy prices have peaked as interest rates are rising, which is likely to slow consumer spending power. In addition, supply-chains are gradually freeing up as the Chinese Purchasing Managers’ Index indices are gathering steam once more. The final systemic factor I’d mention is that non-core inflation — energy and food products — is more elastic than core inflation, meaning we could see a sharp drawdown in energy prices soon as consumer spending power starts to wane.
Don’t get me wrong, Chevron’s (NYSE:CVX) operations have been robust during the past year, as conveyed by its year-over-year revenue growth of 84.52%. Nevertheless, at a price-to-book ratio of 1.99x, it has to be concluded that CVX stock is overvalued.
I personally classify Carvana (NYSE:CVNA) stock as a meme stock bubble asset. CVNA stock has slumped by more than 90% during the past year as investors discovered fault lines in the company’s business model. Carvana is in free fall as its high beta of 2.59x exhibits excess sensitivity to 2022’s bear market. Furthermore, the company operates in the durable goods space, which is on a cyclical downturn as consumers cut back on expensive discretionary spending.
On a final note, Carvana is overvalued, with its stock trading at 27.32x its book value. Thus, I believe CVNA stock has a long way to drop before it trades at a realistic price.
On the date of publication, Steve Booyens held an indirect long position in CVX and NVDA. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.


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BUCKHANNON, W.Va. (WBOY) — One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. That statement holds true in Upshur and Lewis Counties as they host West Virginia’s Largest Yard Sale.
The first weekend in August has become a huge annual event, with people traveling from as far as Florida to experience West Virginia’s Largest Yard Sale.
“There’s been people from all over coming here. It’s been busy, we have really been busy. Even though it’s so hot out, still yet people are participating and coming out and enjoying the yard sale,” Donna Carpenter, a yard sale host said.
The yard sale takes place at many different locations around Upshur and Lewis Counties. The goal of the yard sale is to give locals the opportunity to sell their unwanted items, while bargain shoppers get the best experience shopping yard sales around the community. People who attend the yard sale not only get to embark on a bargain-hunting adventure, but also get to explore what Buckhannon and Weston have to offer.
“I have been busy. I’ve sold a lot of stuff, enjoyed meeting the people. I’ve met so many nice people,” said Carpenter.
The event is being held on Aug. 4 and 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. More information on the event and a map of the yard sales you can be found here.


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Travel and tourism sectors have potential to create thousands of jobs to push the economic growth.
Tourism sector is creating 6.8 percent in the GDP and there is a potential to reach to 9 percent of the GDP. Jobs creation will generate India's growth. "India needs to focus on travel and tourism. It has the best multiplier effect as far as job creation is concerned, therefore, it (government) needs to focus on travel and tourism with huge vigor and energy," Secretary in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion ( DIPP).
All rights reserved © 2020 Wisdom IT Services India Pvt. Ltd
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Corn exports from the United States are projected to reach a record 62
million tonnes in trade year 2007/08, up 2 million tonnes this month, according
to the monthly outlook from the Agriculture Research Service of the American
agriculture ministry USDA.
The US marketing year is also a record at 2.45 billion bushels, up 100
million bushels this month. The early-season pace of US corn sales and shipments
has been strong, and reduced competition and strong demand are projected this
month. Increased exports were the only change in projected US supply and use
this month resulting in a corresponding 100 million bushel decrease in ending
Corn, sorghum, and barley prices were raised this month
reflecting strong demand for grains. Projected prices for corn and barley are at
record levels, surpassing their previous records in
Argentina keeps exports low
Argentina is the
second largest exporter of corn and has a strong influence on US exports.
Argentina's government has been keeping export registrations for corn closed,
thereby limiting corn exports and keeping a lid on prices in Argentina.
The government of Argentina is expected to continue to use export
registrations and export taxes to maintain higher stocks than the free market
would otherwise dictate. No changes were made this month to forecasts for other
major corn exporters, but China's corn exports are expected to be limited by
concerns about internal prices, and most of Brazil's exports are expected to go
to the EU-27, leaving the United States with limited competition in many
Buying in advance
The early pace of US 2007/08 corn
sales and shipments has been very strong. According to U.S. Census data, October
2007 corn exports were up almost 20% over those of the previous year. Export
sales shipment data indicate November 2007 corn exports topped 6 million tonnes,
up over 1 million from those of the previous year.
Moreover, at the end
of November, outstanding export sales of corn reached 19 million tonnes,
compared to 11 million tonnes a year ago. Census plus Exports Sales data
indicate commitments up 10 million tonnes over those of a year ago. With exports
forecast to increase only 6 million tonnes, importers are believed to be buying
ahead more this year than last to assure supplies.
World coarse grains consumption in 2007/08 is projected up 2.8
million tonnes this month to 1,056.4 million tonnes. Global corn use is forecast
up 3.6 million tonnes to a record 766.4 million tonnes, but tight supplies are
reducing prospects for barley consumption. In Canada, corn feed use is projected
up 1.1 million tonnes due to increased corn production and reduced forecast
feeding of barley and wheat.
Increased production is also boosting feed
use of corn in Russia and Belarus. Strong reported feed demand in South Africa,
also boosted consumption prospects for 2007/08. Corn feeding is also raised for
Saudi Arabia, reflecting tighter world barley supplies. World coarse grain
ending stocks for 2007/08 are projected down 2.3 million tonnes this month to
133.0 million tonnes. The largest decline, 1.3 million tonnes, is for corn,
but barley, oats, and sorghum are also reduced. World coarse grain ending stocks
are projected at the lowest level since 1977/78, when global use was less than
two-thirds the use projected for 2007/08.
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The facts just don’t add up. US wages are falling, trade deficit is at 10 year high, debt is surging so are stocks and the US Government has again managed to publish a number of contradicting employment figures that make no sense whatsoever.
A CONFIDENT BUT UNEMPLOYED CONSUMER
US Consumer Sentiment is the highest in 13 years. At the same time US October Household Employment Survey dropped 484,000 and the Labour Force shrank by 765,000. But due to manipulation of the figures, October payroll increased by 261,000 and the Unemployment Rate declined to 4.0% from 4.2%. The Labour Participation Rate is down to the 1977 level with only 62% of the population employed or looking for work.
How can anyone believe any of these figures which tell us Payroll increased and Unemployment declined at the same time as Employment and Labour force went down substantially. It must all be pure fantasy.
The Labour Participation rate is down from 67% in 1999 to 62% currently. The problem with the US labour statistics is that it conveniently disregards the 95.4 million people, a record level, who are able to work but are not working. The total US labour force capable of working is 256 million. Of those 161 million are actually working or actively looking for a job.
So the 95.4 million not working, many of which have given up looking for a job, represent 36% of the all those capable of working. So with fewer people working and with average workers’ real pay having declined since 1975, it is hard to understand that people in the US are feeling so optimistic.
THE CONFIDENT CONSUMER HAS STOPPED SHOPPING
Having recently visited the US, it is difficult to understand that the US consumer is the most confident in 13 years. I visited a few shopping malls including a major mall in Boca Raton, Florida with all the major department store chains plus all the speciality chains. Boca is an affluent area but still, virtually all stores were dead with lots of staff who had nothing to do. There was only one store which was packed which was Apple. The Microsoft store was also totally empty. The state of US retailing is clearly dire with 5X as much retail space per person as in the UK, a country which is also over shopped. With 6,700 planned closures so far in 2017, this industry is clearly haemorrhaging.
Retail is hit by the decline in real disposable income and also the development of online sales. Although the Amazon valuation has looked ridiculous for many years, maybe it is justified as this company eventually will have a total monopoly in many areas of retail with the exception of some specialty chains such as non-branded fashion.
THE US IS CONTINUING TO LIVE ABOVE ITS MEANS
But the problem is not just retailing. The US Trade Deficit is continuing to balloon and is now at an annualised $750 billion which is the worst since 2007. Real construction spending is also declining and is the worst since 2011.
ALICE IN WONDERLAND FANTASY
Either Americans are misled by the continuous bubble highs in stock markets or by the government propaganda which the media, without analysis, just publishes as fact although virtually all of it is Alice in Wonderland Fantasy. Or maybe the bullish Consumer Sentiment figures are just as fake as most of the figures produced by government. How else can the official unemployment figures be 4% when according to proper analysis by John Williams of Shadowstatistics, it is 22%.
As the British Prime Minister Disraeli stated: “There are Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics”. But markets love these lies since they continue to drive valuations exponentially higher whether it is the FAANG stocks or Cryptocurrencies.
EVERY WORKING AMERICAN OWES $1.5 MILLION
The US working population of 154 million have the responsibility for the US total debt which currently is $70 trillion. That excludes unfunded liabilities of anywhere from $120 trillion to $200 trillion which also must be funded.
But if we just take the $70 trillion debt, that amounts to $454,000 of debt for each person working. Adding the unfunded liabilities, we are looking at anywhere between $1.2 and $1.7 million debt per US working citizen. Since the average US person is one wage check from bankruptcy, he is hardly in a position to pay anywhere from $454,000 to $1.7 million on an average gross wage of less than $50,000. If every working American paid used his gross wage to pay off this debt, it would take over 50 years to pay off including interest and inflation. But the average American couldn’t even afford to allocate 10% of his wage to repay the debt and liabilities. Thus Americans couldn’t even afford a 500 year repayment plan.
But the US isn’t alone. Japan and many countries in Europe are in the same situation. Global debt can never be repaid. And when interest rates increase to 10%, 15%, 20% which is very likely, the financial system will implode.


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Demonstrators protest at Wal-Mart warehouse
(Updated 9:30 a.m.)
(Crain's) — Demonstrators rallied at a sprawling Wal-Mart warehouse in the southwest suburbs today to object to the firing of four workers, allegedly in retaliation for their organizing activities, according to a spokeswoman for the group sponsoring the protest.
In mid-September, 38 workers went on strike at the 1.6-million-square-foot distribution center in Elwood. While the building is owned by Wal-Mart Stores Inc., all but two of the strikers are employed by Roadlink Workforce Solutions LLC, a Bethlehem, Pa.-based logistics firm hired by Wal-Mart, according to a spokeswoman for Warehouse Workers for Justice. Two workers are employed by another outsourcing firm.
About 600 people attended the protest, a Warehouse Workers spokeswoman said.
The group is funded by an affiliate of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, and the strike is another example of the battle nationwide between unions and the Bentonville, Ark.-based retail giant.
A Wal-Mart spokesman said the group is not concerned with workers' welfare but with signing up union members to raise money for political activities.
Four Roadlink employees at the Elwood site, including Phillip Bailey, a freight handler, filed suit against the company on Sept. 13, alleging the company has failed to pay required minimum wages and overtime pay, short-changed workers on their hours and did not provide employees with written time records.
Wal-Mart isn't a defendant in the class-action case, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
The Elwood strike follows a Sept. 12 strike at another Wal-Mart warehouse in Southern California, where workers walked out over conditions, including the high temperature in the facility. Workers returned to the job on Friday.
The workers' allegations were either unfounded or had been addressed by contractors working at the Mira Loma, Calif. distribution center, the Wal-Mart spokesman said.
Wal-Mart has promised to institute contract reviews for third-party operators that manage distribution centers and conduct random inspections “to ensure compliance with our standards and the law,” he said.
In Elwood, Wal-Mart does not have access to payroll information for striking workers, the spokesman added.
“Anytime there's allegations of impropriety, that's something we're concerned with,” he said.
A spokesman for Roadlink did not have an immediate comment.
Mr. Bailey said he was paid only $10 an hour and couldn't afford not to receive all the compensation due to him.
Since December 2009, workers have filed six wage lawsuits in federal court against six different companies operating out of the facility, including Roadlink, the Warehouse Workers spokeswoman said.
Two days after the suit was filed, Roadlink dismissed four employees, including Mr. Bailey, as punishment for their organizing activities, according to an unfair labor charge filed against company with the National Labor Relations Board.
The firings were part of a pattern of harassment that began in August, the NLRB complaint says.
(Editor's note: A couple of references to the town of Elwood and Mr. Bailey's name have been corrected in this updated story.)


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XJet Ltd., the company behind the NanoParticle Jetting (NPJ) technology for ceramics and metals, has announced a new ceramic material for its AM system: alumina. The technical ceramic offers a range of manufacturing benefits, such as good electrical insulation and high mechanical strength, and is already widely recognized in industrial manufacturing.
The new material joins zirconia in XJet’s portfolio of technical ceramics. Compared to zirconia, alumina shares certain features, such as high hardness and strength, but demonstrates lower wear resistance, making it easier to machine and refine before and after firing.
In other recent XJet news, the Israeli company announced the deployment one of its Carmel 1400 AM Systems to Italian additive manufacturing service bureau Beam-IT. The company also recently inaugurated a brand new facility for its ceramic and metal AM technology in Rehovot. All announcements, including today’s showcase the company’s commitment to advancing its NPJ platform and ceramic and metal AM on the whole.
“XJet is devoted to the ongoing development of this technology and to serve the AM market,” said XJet CEO Hanan Gothait, “The recent opening of our more than $10m Additive Manufacturing Centre is a testament to this, as the largest facility dedicated entirely to development of new materials and applications in metal and ceramic AM.
“The new alumina material development was sped up thanks to the availability of dedicated systems for this purpose in the last few weeks. Whilst XJet NanoParticle Jetting technology is in itself unique, offering distinct advantages, we’re examining every part of the process for opportunities to push the envelope, from the hardware, the material chemistry and beyond.”
Advancements in soluble supports
Another development highlighted by XJet in its Formnext announcement has to do with support materials. According to the company, it has developed an improved soluble support material for its NPJ process which will be compatible with its soon-to-be-released stainless steel material. The support material can easily be removed from printed parts in a bath post-process without compromising details or even the most complex geometries.
Gothait stated: “It’s been a year of outstanding growth and I’m immensely proud of what the team here at XJet has achieved both in product development, the manufacturing agreement and new facility, and the new labs opening. Next year will be even bigger as we add these new materials, welcome many new customers and continue to build an infrastructure to support that rapid growth including a network of distributors, a great customer development and support team and more.
“The market response to our technology and system has been wonderful and we make sure that we grow at the right pace, building a strong and solid foundation for a very large, leading company in its field.”
We recently spoke to XJet’s VP of Industrial Manufacturing and Defense, Haim Levi, who elaborated on the company’s recent successes and its path moving forward.
Come to visit 3dpbm at our booth in Hall 3.0 – A72 and get a free 3D printed ice-pop from Pixsweet. Sign up to get a free mini-report from SmarTech Publishing on AM verticals (automotive, aerospace, energy, medical, dental) and materials markets (polymers, metals, ceramics, composites).


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Automated council tax payments are a success Since
Since a new automated telephone payments system went live over 960 West Oxfordshire residents have used it to pay their council tax bills. The total amount of council tax paid this way in the last two months has amounted to nearly £232,000.
Online web payments were set up in December 2005 and so far 596 residents have paid a total of £151,000 in council tax payments.
“Both these new facilities are simple to use and make our residents' lives easier,” says Cllr Mary Neale, Cabinet Member for Finance, “They can pay at any time of the day and night, without having to queue up or
even go out and post a letter. We are delighted with the uptake and expect that, as it is still 'early days', numbers will continue to rise.”
Automated telephone and internet payments can also be made for non-domestic rates, car parking fines
and council invoices. Residents can even pay back any housing benefit overpayments.
Both systems are easy, quick and secure. Automated telephone payment are made by phoning 01993 861045 and online payments are made on the Council's website. Major debit and credit cards are accepted.
Other recent Witney news items
A children's charity has been given a boost of more than £3,000 thanks to a special fundraising event. Helen and Douglas House in Oxford, which offers respite and end of life care for children, yo...[more]
A photographic exhibition celebrating the mature dancer is to go on display in Witney. Joie de Vivre is a collection of images designed to showcase the beauty and vitality of older dancers with th...[more]
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Mountain towns dependent on tourists are reaping the rewards of legal marijuana. As the towns swell with visitors — skiers in February and March, summer vacationers in July and August — so do their sales-tax coffers.
“Most of our sales seem to be to our visitors,” said John Warner, a dentist and the mayor of Breckenridge, which is tracking toward $8.8 million in marijuana sales in 2014. “Some people might think of it as a sin tax, and a lot of people don’t like sin taxes. But it’s certainly helpful to our community.”
Like a lodging tax that doesn’t burden locals, taxes on marijuana in the high country largely are paid by tourists. A midsummer report by the state Department of Revenue estimated that visitors in highly trafficked mountain communities accounted for 90 percent of marijuana sales.
With little history for revenue projections, most town leaders estimated marijuana tax income conservatively. They relished their early Christmas presents, with revenues climbing well beyond early predictions.
Breckenridge’s revenue is about 30 percent higher than Warner and his team expected. The town council recently decided to direct extra marijuana income toward preschool and child care programs, with the rest of the excise tax going toward law enforcement and local mental health programs.
The town is projecting about $8.3 million in 2015 marijuana sales, but that figure may have to be revised downward, Warner said. Voters this month in Breckenridge decided to ban recreational marijuana shops on Main Street, which will push out the town’s marijuana workhorse, Cannabis Club.
“They are the prime generator of these big revenues, and they may not see as large sales figures next year in a new location,” Warner said.
Aspen’s five medical and recreational marijuana dispensaries also are fueling a surge in the city’s tax revenues. The city merges marijuana tax with liquor taxes, but the combined revenue is up 24 percent through October compared with the same span last year.
Liquor and marijuana sales through October in Aspen are $10.8 million, compared with $7.2 million in 2013, $6.9 million in 2012 and $6.6 million in 2011.
In Telluride, which joined Breckenridge as the only high country hamlet with open stores Jan. 1, tax revenues from three dispensaries are helping pay down the town’s $20 million debt on a development-blocking conservation easement on the beloved valley floor.
While Telluride will post a record sales tax harvest in 2014, marijuana taxes account for only 4.5 percent of all sales tax revenues. Steep declines in marijuana sales from March to the slow-season April and September to festival-free October in Telluride jibe with the statewide trend that most high-country sales are to visitors.
“Really, we are experiencing the benefits of having a balanced economy,” Telluride Mayor Stu Fraser said. “Where we have been able to expand into the shoulder seasons and have grown the winter and summer as well. If I had to point to reason for our growth, it wouldn’t be marijuana.”


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Pinnacle Wealth Brokers has launched Niagara Access Alpha Fund, a retail focused Canadian hedge fund structured specifically for the retail private marketplace.
Niagara Capital Partners has granted Pinnacle Wealth exclusive distribution rights for the fund.
The Niagara Access Alpha Fund was launched by Niagara Capital Partners to offer retail investors the opportunity to invest in the Niagara Discovery Fund.
The Niagara Discovery Fund has been designed to provide HNW individuals and family offices access to a professionally managed and diversified portfolio of managed futures strategies.
The Discovery fund will invest in four asset classes including equities, fixed income, currencies and commodities.
David Rothberg, co-founder Niagara Capital Partners, said: "The Niagara Discovery Fund had to have small minimums. It had to be RRSP eligible. And it needed solid distribution."


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“We are proud to support and promote awareness for all cancers. As we grow, we look forward to increasing our apparel offering, to different cancers and other life altering diseases” - Casie VanderLind, Wear Awareness Founder
(PRWEB) January 28, 2014
AC apparel’s flagship brand, Wear Awareness is now giving $8 from every shirt sold to cancer patients in need. Started by 24-year-old cancer survivor, Casie VanderLind, Wear Awareness is a new cancer awareness apparel company focused on providing comfortable attire and giving back to those in need.
Wear Awareness founder Casie VanderLind knows all too well the reality of facing cancer. Casie was diagnosed with stage three melanoma, just one week after graduating from college. After undergoing two surgeries and chemotherapy treatment, Casie won her battle and recently celebrated her two -year “cancerversary”.
Since its launch in November, Wear Awareness has been helping current cancer fighters with expenses not covered by insurance such as co-pays, gas and hotel expenses, and more.
“I know how much expenses can really add up,” says VanderLind. “If we can help out while letting people know they are not in this alone, our mission is complete.”
In addition to giving to those in need, Wear Awareness promotes cancer awareness through their custom designed t-shirts. Wear Awareness currently sells shirts promoting melanoma and ovarian cancer awareness as well as a general cancer ribbon shirt that encompasses all forms of cancer.
“We are proud to support and promote awareness for all cancers. As we grow, we look forward to increasing our apparel offering, to different cancers and other life altering diseases,” said VanderLind.
For all inquiries and more information on Wear Awareness, please visit http://www.wear-awareness.com or contact info(at)wear-awareness(dot)com.
About Wear Awareness
Wear Awareness was launched in October 2013 to spread cancer awareness and give back to those in need. Wear Awareness creates and designs apparel promoting awareness for different forms of cancer and other life altering diseases, with eight dollars of every shirt going to help a current cancer patient with expenses not covered by insurance. Started by a cancer survivor, Casie VanderLind and her husband Andrew, the company’s goal is to make a difference in people’s lives by increasing awareness and providing support.


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Live Nation (NYSE: LYV) posted continued revenue growth (including a 66 percent year-over-year improvement in concerts income) during Q4 2022, but has nevertheless seen its stock price slip.
The Beverly Hills-based promoter just recently unveiled its fourth-quarter and full-year showings – while also taking the opportunity to emphasize that there’s “no sign of any slowdown” for 2023. During October, November, and December of last year, the Ticketmaster parent’s total revenue cracked $4.29 billion, up about 59 percent from Q4 2021 but down roughly 30 percent from Q3 2022.
Within the figure, Live Nation identified almost $3.4 billion in concerts income (up about 66 percent YoY despite a nearly 36 percent quarterly dip). Fueling the sum were 43,644 events held during all of 2022, the report shows, up from 17,412 in 2021 and 8,117 in 2020. (Attendee spending at the 2022 events is said to have jumped by double digits from 2019, including an average of $37 in per-fan revenue at North American amphitheaters during 2022.)
And as a number of 2023 tours went on sale during the fourth quarter, ticketing revenue, at $651.3 million or so, increased from Q4 2021 (by approximately 34 percent) and from Q3 2022 (by close to 23 percent).
Rounding out Live Nation’s Q4 2022 revenue is $245.6 million from “sponsorship and advertising” (up 44 percent YoY and down 28 percent QoQ), whereas “other and eliminations” accounted for a $2.2 million loss on the quarter, per the publicly traded company.
Meanwhile, the Broccoli City Festival stakeholder acknowledged $38.9 million in Q4 acquisition costs, which contributed to a $119.9 million operating loss for the quarter. But the TERO Concerts and Entertainment owner likewise disclosed that its operating income for all of 2022 had topped $732 million, as overall revenue surpassed $16.68 billion.
Looking forward to 2023, Live Nation president and CEO Michael Rapino supported his business’s optimistic projections by indicating that ticket sales (50 million passes sold to 2023 events as of mid-February), deferred revenue ($2.7 billion at 2022’s end), sponsorships (70 percent of which are said to be confirmed for 2023), and more had increased by double digits YoY.
In a contrast to prior quarterly reports, Live Nation – whose CFO faced a congressional grilling last month – dedicated a substantial portion of its earnings release to addressing the “regulatory environment and reforms.”
“Since signing the extended consent decree related to the Ticketmaster merger,” communicated Rapino, whose company is reportedly the subject of an ongoing antitrust investigation, “we remain in constant conversation with the Department of Justice’s monitors, and do not believe there have been any violations.”
Rapino further revealed that his company had “launched” the FAIR Ticketing Act, which he claims would (among other things) allow artists to establish ticket-resale rules and expand the scope of the BOTS Act. The move comes only weeks after the White House publicly pushed legislation that it says would curb “the huge service fees that companies like Ticketmaster slap onto tickets.”
At the time of this writing, Live Nation stock was down 10.27 percent from Thursday’s close, at $68.64 per share. Yesterday, former Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff expressed firmly worded criticism of secondary ticketing companies, and an appellate court earlier in February found that Ticketmaster’s terms of service do in fact compel arbitration.


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If it does indeed launch alongside the PlayStation 4, I know what game I want most.
Game Informer has revealed the game that will grace the June cover of the publication: inFamous: Second Son .
And as a little teaser, we've got some baseline information. Former franchise protagonist Cole MacGrath is gone and the country is on high alert, as the search is on for other conduits. In order to hunt down these dangerous citizens, the government has created the oppressive Department of Unified Protection. The new main character is Delsin Rowe and he will have to find a way to fight the powers that be, and perhaps further unravel the mystery behind conduits. Admittedly, I'll kinda miss Cole.
Second Son joins the 30-page spread that focuses entirely on the upcoming PS4. Info on new indie titles ( Hohokum , Counterspy , and Doki-Doki Universe ), Media Molecule's latest, Knack , Destiny , DriveClub and Killzone: Shadow Fall is also on the way. Can't wait!
Related Game(s): inFamous: Second Son


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The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday, alleges that Binance allowed Hamas to trade on its platform and also seeks damages under the US anti-terrorism act.
Fast Retailing (the parent company of Uniqlo) has filed a lawsuit against Shein in Japan, saying that it copied its Round Mini Shoulder Bag.
Early this month, Epic Games took Google to court for anti-competitive practices.
Meet Wilson Aerospace. This small family-run biz based in Colorado is no ordinary toolmaker.
PFAS stands for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which make up a group of chemicals that can get into the environment and the human body.
Uber got hacked big time in 2016.
In 2019, Justine Hsu's Model S Tesla, which was on Autopilot, swerved and hit a curb, injuring her face.


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Internet users decline: The number of internet users in Nigeria’s telecommunications networks declined to 91, 274,446 in January, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said. The NCC made the disclosure in its Monthly Internet Subscribers Data for January 2017 on its website on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to the data released, internet users dropped to 91,274,446 in January as against 91,880.032 users recorded in December 2016, showing a decline of 605,586.
The data also showed that the GSM service providers lost 605,586 internet customers after recording 91, 274,446 in January as against 91,880,032 users in December 2016.
The data revealed that MTN had 31,015.45 subscribers browsing the internet on its network in the month of January.
It explained that MTN recorded a drop of 737, 964 internet subscribers in January after recording 31,753.369 in December 2016.
Airtel had 19,618.485 internet users in January, adding 254, 94 customers to its December record of 19,363.545.
In Etisalat, the data showed 13,564.284 customers who browsed the internet in January revealing a decrease of 188.656 users against the 13,752.940 users recorded in December 2016.
The data showed that Globacom had 27,076,272 customers browsing the internet on its network in January.
This amounted to an increase of 66,094 users from the 27,010.178 users of the internet on the network in December 2016. (NAN)
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- 10 most horrific plane crashes that shook the world – #2 happened right here in Nigeria (With Pics)
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- Kemi Olunloyo lists 3 celebrities in the world who can go without makeup and look Amazing, 2 of them are Nigerians


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At a recent conference at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, Shell presented an array of speakers who sized up the state of alternative fuel technologies in trucking and a likely timeline for real-world adoption of these new means of moving freight.
November 27, 2019
Battery-electric and hydrogen-electric trucks and components stole the show at the North American Commercial Vehicle Show.
November 21, 2019
To demonstrate its capabilities as an electrification powertrain supplier, Cummins showed a concept Class 8 day cab, featuring a hybrid fuel cell-battery electric drivetrain.
October 31, 2019
The new Lonestar Specialty Vehicles electric terminal tractor unveiled at the NACV Show in Atlanta was designed, built and manufactured by Dana.
October 28, 2019
Find out why an electric truck or van may be on your comparative shopping list in the near future.
October 17, 2019
At its Technology Summit, Volvo Trucks North America highlighted a number of new products and upgrades, including a glimpse of an all-electric Class 8 VNR slated for production next year.
September 12, 2019
At the Technology Summit at the Volvo Customer Center in Dublin, Virginia, Volvo Trucks not only highlighted its latest technology; it also gave reporters a report on the state of the North American truck-building industry and the company's position within it.
September 12, 2019
Fleets of the future are likely to be powered by a variety of drivetrains and fuels. Can an industry dealing with a technician shortage find the skilled workers it needs to keep them running?
September 9, 2019
Daimler Trucks North America presented the keys to its first two production eCascadia battery-electric tractors to Penske and NFI on Aug. 21 in Napa Valley, California.
August 21, 2019
Akasol is one of Europe’s largest supplier of battery systems for commercial vehicles with hybrid-electric or all-electric drives and is now moving into the North American commercial vehicle market.
August 2, 2019
Sandeep Kar is a leading transportation futurist, tracking and explaining how emerging technologies are changing trucking and logistics. In this HDT interview, Kar talks about his new role at telematics provider FleetComplete and how he thinks trucking will evolve in the near term.
April 11, 2019
Electric trucks have thousands fewer moving parts than vehicles with conventional powertrains. Does that mean near-future fleets could get by with fewer technicians? Senior Editor Jack Roberts takes a look in the Truck Tech blog.
April 8, 2019
At the end of the day, says Senior Editor Jack Roberts, an electric truck is simply just a truck. And while they may have a different propulsion system than conventional powertrains, the positives they offer many fleets outweigh the negatives.
March 22, 2019
Dana hosted a test drive of trucks outfitted with its latest technology at TMC’s annual meeting in Atlanta.
March 20, 2019
The Lion Electric Co. showed off its first all-electric Class 8 urban truck at the American Trucking Associations' Technology & Maintenance Council annual meeting in Atlanta March 19, saying it will be commercialized this fall.
March 19, 2019


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What’s the fate of drug-sniffing dogs in states where cooking cooking pot is appropriate?
Many, if you don’t all, police dogs in america that have already been trained thc free hemp to identify drugs cannot differentiate between cannabis along with other medications like cocaine and meth. Exactly What fate awaits these K-9s serving in states that have currently completely legalized cooking pot?
Drug-sniffing dogs in Michigan can retire as state implements cannabis that are new guidelines
As Michigan makes to implement its brand new cannabis laws and regulations, its drug-sniffing dogs may face layoffs or very early retirement.
There has been concerns as to whether any proof discovered by drug-sniffing dogs is admissible in court and whether their indicator of every medication can beconsidered cause that is probable a search. It is because the dogs aren’t trained to differentiate between marijuana and also the medications which can be nevertheless unlawful. Continue reading


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Target redeems itself after unoptimized ad campaign
The company ran audio, mobile banner and full-page ads that offered coupons to its in-store groceries within Pandora’s iPhone application. On Feb. 28, Mobile Commerce Daily reported that Target missed the mark on its mobile ad campaign, but the company has since gotten back on track and continues to prove that mobile plays a big role in its overall strategy.
“Target’s highest priority is assuring that our guests have a great, uniquely Target experience – whether they are in our stores, on our Web site or using one of our mobile applications,” said Eddie Baeb, a spokesman for Target, Minneapolis, MN.
“We have been a leader in multichannel retailing for years, and we are committed to continuous innovation and delivering on our brand promise ‘Expect More. Pay Less.’ to our guests anytime, anywhere,” he said.
The original Target campaign featured audio, mobile banner and full-page ads, that when tapped on would redirect consumers to the company’s Web site instead of a mobile-optimized page.
Users had to pinch and zoom in order to read the text and they were also encouraged to print coupons, however were unable to from their mobile devices.
The original unoptimized landing page
The new mobile ad campaign also includes audio, mobile banner and full-page ads, which are now executed better and create a more enjoyable experience for users.
For example, when consumers tap on the new mobile ads, they are now redirected to a mobile-optimized page where no pinching or zooming is necessary.
The mobile campaign is now optimized
Additionally, not only are users encouraged to tap on the top of the page to download Target’s iPhone application, but the retailer also lets them get the coupons offered sent directly to their mobile device – no printing required.
This change not only shows that Target has clearly redeemed itself, but it also proves that the retailer saw that the user experience could have been better and went back to the drawing board.
Target is also very smart to correct the issue.
Many companies including Boar’s Head, Chrysler and Unilever have run mobile ad campaigns and have missed the mark by not optimizing the experience for mobile.
In 2010, Chrysler’s mobile banner in the New York Times iPhone app illustrated the importance of having a mobile-optimized landing page. Chrysler’s landing page was not mobile-optimized.
The banner took a user to the company’s Web site, which was not optimized for a handset, thus completely ruining the user experience and making the ad useless (see story).
Last year, Unilever’s I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter mobile banner ad, which ran in WhatToExpect.com’s iPhone application, promoted the company’s butter products.
Instead of taking consumers to a mobile-optimized site, the banner ad took them to the company’s Web site, which changes the overall purpose of the ad
Unlike Target, the companies have not fixed their campaigns and did not aim to make the user experience better.
“Any retailer that is engaged in mobile marketing should land consumer click-throughs on a mobile-optimized page, for the best possible conversion rates,” said Wilson Kerr, vice president of business development and sales at Unbound Commerce, Boston.
“Retailers should remember that mobile marketing does not just mean mobile banner ads,” he said. “In fact, many brands and retailers are engaged in mobile marketing without knowing it, since Facebook posts, tweets, emails and other forms of consumer outreach that are accessed on mobile devices are, for all intents and purposes, mobile marketing campaigns.
“A tap on a hyperlink by a consumer using a web-connected smartphone that does not redirect to a mobile version of the retailers site is a wasted tap that will discourage future site visits.”
Rimma Kats is staff reporter on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York


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Inspira™ Technologies OXY B.H.N. Ltd. (NASDAQ: IINN) (NASDAQ: IINNW) (the “Company” or “Inspira Technologies”), a company aiming to revolutionize acute respiratory care by empowering breathing without lungs, is proud to announce the unveiling of its INSPIRA ART line at the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) Conference in Seattle, WA.
The INSPIRA ART medical device line includes the INSPIRA™ ART100 a cardio-pulmonary bypass (CPB) device designed for patients undergoing CPB procedures as well as the INSPIRA™ ART500 device that represents a significant breakthrough in healthcare, potentially offering highly effective treatment for the 20 million patients that face severe breathing problems each year. The INSPIRA ART500 is being designed to provide acute respiratory support with the intention to become a new procedure for patients who may require legacy mechanical ventilation.
INSPIRA ART100 is estimated to receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance in the first half of 2024. Inspira is currently working on plans to make INSPIRA ART100 available in the United States. The Company has recently entered into a collaboration with Perfusion Solution, Inc., a leading U.S. based company that provides a platform of advanced medical devices, training and staffing to leading U.S. hospitals.
The ELSO conference is a global gathering of experts in healthcare, research, and industry players. ELSO is dedicated to improving a special type of life support called extracorporeal life support, which involves using external devices to support patients with severe breathing and/or heart problems.
Inspira will be available at booth #315 at the 34th annual ELSO conference. Inspira will be introducing its new INSPIRA ART device line, revealing the INSPIRA ART100 device at ELSO, which marks a significant achievement by its team of experts. Inspira’s presentation of its product is a significant step forward, highlighting its commitment to creating products for critical patient care or patients undergoing CPB.


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Whether your customer is a newbie, or is already experienced in digital photography, it’s critical to inspire them by showcasing the latest and greatest camera outfits.
Port Washington, NY (PRWEB) September 06, 2011
According to The NPD Group, a leading market research company, U.S. consumers continue to express their passion for photography by investing in cameras and accessories, neither of which shows sign of a slowdown in the growing detachable-lens camera market. While point-and-shoot camera sales experienced a 16 percent decline in revenue (January through July 2011) versus the prior year, sales of detachable lens cameras increased 14 percent. Overall revenues from camera accessories, excluding memory cards, have increased by 6 percent over last year.
“To thrive in today’s market, retailers and manufacturers should regularly refresh accessory displays that map to new camera capabilities and the evolving consumer,” said Liz Cutting, NPD Senior Imaging Analyst. “For the more advanced amateur, that may mean suggesting a tripod upgrade to afford better video capture; while for the first time buyer, detachable lens cameras bundled with accessories are welcome solutions.”
According to NPD’s “Digital Camera Market Basket” report, within the first six months of ownership, the average consumer spent $244 on additional camera accessories for a detachable-lens camera, which represents more than 20 percent incremental revenue beyond the camera’s price, although first-time detachable-lens camera buyers reported spending less than repeat buyers did on accessories overall. In addition, more than half of repeat detachable-lens camera buyers reported recycling or reusing equipment from prior purchases, such as tripods, camera cases, and memory cards.
Forty-one percent of detachable-lens camera buyers purchased additional accessories not only at the same retailer, but also at the same time they purchased their new cameras. More than half of consumers who purchased detachable-lens cameras for themselves also bought accessories after their initial camera purchases. “Whether your customer is a newbie, or is already experienced in digital photography, it’s critical to inspire them by showcasing the latest and greatest camera outfits,” Cutting said.
About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 1,800 manufacturers, retailers, and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, entertainment, fashion, food, home and office, sports, technology, toys, video games, and wireless. For more information, contact us, visit http://www.npd.com/, or follow us Twitter at https://twitter.com/npdgroup.


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Sprint Corp, the No. 4 U.S. wireless carrier, reported a smaller-than-expected quarterly loss, helped by cost-cutting measures and higher subscriber additions.
Shares of the company, which is majority owned by Japan's SoftBank Group Corp, rose 18.7 percent to $2.99 in premarket trading on Tuesday.
Sprint also said it expects to return to a profit on an operational basis for the full-year ending March.
The company said on Monday it axed at least 2,500 jobs across six customer care centers as well as its Kansas headquarters as part of a turnaround plan that includes slashing costs by $2.5 billion.
Sprint added 501,000 net postpaid connections, compared with 30,000 a year earlier.
Customer sign-ups, which increased for the second straight quarter after two years of declines, were driven by aggressive promotions.
The company launched a plan in November under which customers who switched from Verizon Communications Inc, AT&T Inc and T-Mobile US Inc would pay only half of what they paid for their existing plans.
Sprint posted a net loss of $836 million, or 21 cents per share, in the third quarter ended Dec. 31, compared with a loss of $2.38 billion, or 60 cents per share, a year earlier.
Excluding items, the company lost 21 cents per share, beating the average analyst estimate of 25 cents per share.
Sprint's net operating revenue fell 9.7 percent to $8.11 billion, below the average analyst estimate of $8.23 billion.
For the full year, Sprint said it expects an operating income of $100 million-$300 million, compared with its previous forecast of a loss of $50 million-$250 million. (Reporting by Kshitiz Goliya in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)